australian culture

Australia: History, Language, and Culture

History of Australia

There were numerous early European explorers to Australia, among them Willem Janszoon, the Dutchman generally credited with being the first outsider to land on Australian soil doing so in 1606, and his compatriot Abel Tasman, who in 1642 discovered the large island off Australia’s southern coast – hence its modern name, Tasmania. It was Captain James Cook, however, who landed at Botany Bay in 1770 and changed the fate of the land forever. When he and his men stepped onto Australian shores, they encountered an Aboriginal way of life that went back some 40,000 years. The first governor, Arthur Phillip, was ordered to encourage a positive relationship with the indigenous locals, although a mixture of disease, malice and mutual suspicion meant this was over-optimistic. The first settlers treated the Aboriginal population with appalling brutality, which gave way to racist policies from subsequent administrations. Tensions still exist between mainstream Australia and the guardians of the Aboriginal way of life. While the native way of life was being strained, the island’s new settlers were putting down firm roots. A British colony had been established not long after Cook’s arrival, and by 1868 (recognising the powerful crime deterrent afforded by penal transportation) London had sent more than 160,000 convicts to Australia. By this time there had also been the mass arrival of free settlers and speculators, many of them pouring into the country in the gold rush of the 1850s. It led to significant economic expansion. By the 1880s the majority of people in the colony had been born and raised in Australia, which in turn was creating a deeper sense of nationalism. The Commonwealth of Australia came into being in 1901.

The nation was deeply involved and affected by both world wars and the Great Depression, but it continued to develop into a modern, versatile nation and grew as both a domestic and international power. Racial reconciliation was given a boost in 2008 when government issued a formal apology to the indigenous population for the past.

Australia remains a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth Il as its present monarch. The country saw its first ever female prime minister in 2010, when Labor’s Julia Gillard won a narrow election victory. Her rule lasted three years, before a political merry-go-round then saw Labor’s Kevin Rudd, the Liberal Party’s Tony Abbott and prime minister Malcolm Turnbull all have stints in power before 2015 was up. Turnbull, of the Liberal Party, is currently serving as Prime Minister, having been reelected in 2016 and served until 2018. He was replaced by Scott Morrison who is currently serving as of the recording of this video in 2021.

Did you know? • Melbourne is said to be home to the most sizable Greek population in the world outside Greece.• The country’s largest cattle station, Anna Creek in South Australia, is more than three quarters the size of Belgium. • Former PM Bob Hawke once held the word record for downing the equivalent of a yard of ale. Australia Culture Religion in Australia 35% Protestant, 25% Roman Catholic, and the rest are smaller minorities of all other major religions.

Social Conventions in Australia. A largely informal atmosphere prevails; shaking hands is the customary greeting. Casual wear is worn everywhere except in the most exclusive restaurants, social gatherings and important business meetings. Most restaurants forbid smoking.

Language in Australia. The official language is English. Many other languages are retained by minorities, including Italian, German, Greek, Vietnamese, Chinese dialects and Aboriginal languages.

Source: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/oceania/australia/history-language-culture/

Guide Questions

Who are considered indigenous to the country now known as Australia?

Where does most of the mainstream Australians came from?

Why are there tensions between the mainstream Australians and the indigenous people?

What is “Common Wealth of Australia”?

In what manner did the Australian government reach out to the indigenous locals to mend their broken relationship?

What is a constitutional monarchy?

Who was the prime minister when the great Australian wild fire happened? Where was he at the time of its occurrence?

Related Posts

LET’S CONNECT

sai thong resort

Sai Thong Resort (ทรายทอง รีสอร์ท)Trang

On our way to Krabi we decided to have a stopover in TRANG. We immediately started thinking of an accommodation that would not break the bank as we already have booked a nice resort in Krabi, Green View Village Resort. While we were discussing the plans for the day we remembered a resort our university booked us in during our annual university sports meet held in Trang a few years back.  Sai Thong Resort is located at 8WJ+64H, Mai Fat, Sikao District, Trang 92150.

Sai Thong Resort (ทรายทอง รีสอร์ท) was a good experience the first time we stayed so we decided to spend our stopover night there.  We walked in and booked for a night. The family room that we got costs 800Thb (23.8USD) per night. We opted for the cheapest family room thinking that it’s only for a night. Not really the best decision. ^_^

Room

The cheapest room is part of a quadruplex bungalow, one of the older structures the resort has. Inside the room is like a time machine that brings you back to the late 90s to early 2000s with the dated items you can find inside. A picture tube TV attached to a TV Box, old switches and electrical outlets, a vintage shower head, and the room itself is showing its years. The good thing is that they retrofitted an Air conditioner which seems to have been added recently. With all that being said, for us, as long as it works we don’t really mind. ^_^

Bathroom

The bathroom was clean. Old but clean. The bowl and sink are either new or just well-maintained. As for the shower set, the bidet, the mirror and the rack beneath it have seen better years.

Amenities/Complimentary 

We had at least 3 water bottles when we got in the room and presumably will be replenished daily.   A roll of toilet paper and a bottle of body shampoo. There’s a mini ref to store your drinks and food.

Wifi:  The room has free WiFi, but connecting our mobile phones was a struggle. Two out of four phones could connect and get decent feed. The moment a third and fourth phone logs in the feed starts to lag. This is something the management needs to look into. At this day and age we all know that having a good wifi signal is akin to having air to breathe. ^_^

Swimming Pool

This resort does not have a pool but is very very near Pak Meng beach. We also did not mind this aspect since it’s only a stopover for a night. ^_^

Food

They did not offer breakfast during our stay but we clearly remember a buffet breakfast was available during our first stay. I think they only offer breakfast to big group deals or something like that. But it does not matter though since it is surrounded with restaurants with affordable prices and with actually good food. ^_^

Recommendation

Do we recommend Sai Thong Resort??? ABSOLUTELY!!! You have options to either save money or be comfortable in your stay.  We opted to save money and we got what we paid for but they do have better rooms for a higher price. This resort is not only near Pak Meng Beach and restaurants… it is also near Rajamangala Trang Aquarium, an affordable place where you can have a bit of an educational fun with the kids. It’s a very convenient resort to be in with your family. A good place for a short getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Affordable Family-Friendly Hotel/Resort

  • Sai Thong Resort (ทรายทอง รีสอร์ท)Trang
    On our way to Krabi we decided to have a stopover in TRANG. We immediately started thinking of an accommodation that would not break the […]
  • Green View Village Resort
    Green View Village Resort is located at 2RMM+R98, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000 (2RMM+R98 ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81000). It is comfortably situated […]
  • 2021 Family Staycation Ao Nang Krabi Thailand
    After the twelve-month lockdown restrictions have been partially lifted, we got to take our annual family staycation. Although it was short, it’s a much welcome […]
  • Lanta Cottage Hotel
    Accommodation: Lanta Cottage Hotel It is located at Sala Dan, Koh Lanta District, Krabi 81150 Thailand. We had our first getaway here after the travel […]
  • Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang: Hotel Review
    Accommodation: Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang, a family and pet friendly modern hotel, is conveniently located at 725 Moo2 Ao-nang, Nopparat Road Muang Krabi, 81000 […]
  • Ibis Phuket Patong Hotel Review
    Accommodation: Ibis Phuket Patong Hotel Location: 10 Chaloemphrakiat Riad, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150, Thailand. ☎ +66(0)76303888 Room We stayed at a family room with queen […]

LET’S CONNECT

Green View Village Resort

Green View Village Resort is located at 2RMM+R98, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000 (2RMM+R98 ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81000).

It is comfortably situated at the heart of Ao Nang, surrounded by tropical trees and picturesque mountain cliffs. It is a pretty big resort with two main buildings and several bungalows spread around the resort. And true to its name, this place is surrounded by all sorts of greens. Although there are so many foliage, it doesn’t feel like there are scary animals or insects around.

We booked a family room for 3 nights to celebrate Songkran, Thailand’s water festival. The booking was made online through booking dot com just a few days prior. Having only a few days left before the holidays, I thought it’s going to cost us a lot, but to my surprise, we booked the room, a family room at that, for just 149 USD (5000 THB). Honestly speaking, I didn’t have so much expectation considering the price.

728*90

Here’s our experience in Green View Village Resort

Hotel room

The family room is really large, high-ceiling, and clean. It’s got two large beds, which are not too soft nor too hard. They were comfortable. The room has two large sinks with a wall-sized mirror in front, maybe a powder area or wash area, it’s nice (watch the reel to see what I mean). It also has a balcony with a massive wooden table and benches. We had our brunch here, and despite the hot temperature, it was relaxing and refreshing with the trees around.

Bathroom

The bathroom was something I did not expect because all I really prayed for was a clean bathroom, however to our surprise, did we not only have a clean bathroom, we got TWO bathrooms! And each has two sets of showers, one attached to a heater (on the wall), and a rain shower attached to the ceiling.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ajarn Mitch (@mitchryansblog)

Amenities/ Complimentary

It has the usual free bottled water, and toiletries . It also has free coffee and tea, which are replenished daily. Having coffee is how we start our day, so having free coffee is big for us. I’m saying this because we’ve been to a hotel on a similar price range and yet does not offer free coffee. Of course, the room has an electric kettle, a small fridge, drinking glass and coffee cups, closet with hangers, a hairdryer, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.

WiFi connection

The room has free WiFi, but connecting our mobile phones was a struggle. We managed to connect our laptop eventually. Although some guests might have their own internet connection on their mobile phones, others don’t. This is something the hotel management has to look into. In this day and age, it is necessary to have a reliable internet connection.

Swimming pool

Most often we book a hotel with a swimming pool. Our kids love swimming and hanging around the pool. Green View Village has TWO swimming pools. One has a great view of the mountain and a wide lounging area for sunbathers. There’s a swimming area for toddlers, and the adult area has a depth of 1. 20 to 1.70 meters. The water is clean and clear. The other pool is around 1.60 meters deep all through out. It’s rectangular shape makes it perfect for swimming laps. Since it’s situated in front of one of the buildings, it is shaded in most part of the day, totally perfect for those who want to swim but don’t want to get toasted by the sun. But keeping the water clear and clean is something the hotel has to improve on.

Food/ Restaurant

The hotel restaurant is spacious and high-ceilinged. What’s unique about this is that, it is decorated with ornamental plants and flowers of all sorts. Beautiful! The food is another surprising thing. We’ve had a bad experience regarding breakfast in one of the hotels in Ao Nang, since then we opt-out breakfast in our bookings. This time we had room service for brunch, honestly speaking it tasted way better than the takeout we had from one of the popular resto near Ao Nang beach. Plus the price is local rate and the serving size is good at just 60THB (roughly 1.80USD).

Do we recommend Green View Village Resort?

It’s a big YES for us!

From experience, we tend to go back to a place where we are familiar and at home with. Over the past years, we’ve stayed a couple of times at Rimlay Park Resort in 2017 and again in 2019 we went back to Rimlay Park Resort. Another resort we feel at home with and booked twice is Ibis Styles Ao Nang Krabi , in 2019 and we had our 2021 family staycation when the lockdown was lifted. This year although we really wanted to go back, we also thought of exploring other hotels. Luckily, we had a great deal with Green View Village Resort through Booking dot com.

Other Hotels in Krabi

  • Green View Village Resort
    Green View Village Resort is located at 2RMM+R98, Ao Nang, Mueang Krabi District, Krabi 81000 (2RMM+R98 ตำบล อ่าวนาง อำเภอเมืองกระบี่ กระบี่ 81000). It is comfortably situated […]
  • 2021 Family Staycation Ao Nang Krabi Thailand
    After the twelve-month lockdown restrictions have been partially lifted, we got to take our annual family staycation. Although it was short, it’s a much welcome […]
  • Lanta Cottage Hotel
    Accommodation: Lanta Cottage Hotel It is located at Sala Dan, Koh Lanta District, Krabi 81150 Thailand. We had our first getaway here after the travel […]
  • Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang: Hotel Review
    Accommodation: Ibis Styles Krabi Ao Nang, a family and pet friendly modern hotel, is conveniently located at 725 Moo2 Ao-nang, Nopparat Road Muang Krabi, 81000 […]
  • Aonang Regent Hotel, Krabi Thailand: Hotel Review
    Accommodation: Ao Nang Regent Hotel, Krabi Thailand is located at 262/24 Aonang soi 11 Leela Valley Moo. 2 Aonang Muang , , 81000 Ao Nang […]
  • Phutara Lanta Resort Koh Lanta Krabi
      Accomodation: Phutara Lanta Resort. The best family hotel we have gone to so far. Location: 693 Moo 2, Saladan,  Koh Lanta Krabi 81150 Thailand: […]

LET’S CONNECT

past story

Reading Past Stories

The Best Hamburger of My Life

When I was thirteen years old, I had a great surprise at the Grand Hotel in Toronto. My favorite soccer team was visiting from Mexico, so I went to the hotel to get autographs from some of the players. When I got there, I waited outside for a long time because I was very nervous. Finally, I told my legs to start moving, and I went up to my favorite striker, Sergio Verdirame, and asked for his autograph. My voice was trembling, but I controlled it. He stopped to listen to me, and then an amazing thing happened. He invited me to his table for dinner. I could not believe it! Suddenly I was sitting across the table from Sergio Verdirame! I ordered a big hamburger with everything on it except onions. When the food came, my hands were shaking, and I could not eat or talk. After a while, I took a deep breath and said to myself, “Hey, this happens just once in your life.” I got rid of my nerves and started talking with the team and enjoying my hamburger. They were really great guys, and we had a good time laughing and joking together. That was the most delicious hamburger I ever ate in my life because I was eating it with my idol.

Guide Questions

  1. How old was the person narrating this story?
  2. Who was the person’s favorite soccer player?
  3. Who did the person eat with in the restaurant?
  4. What did he have for dinner?
  5. What vegetable he didn’t eat with it?
  6. How did the person get rid of his/her nerves?
  7. Decide if the person narrating the story is a female or a male. Give your reason(s).

DOWNLOAD THE PAST STORIES HERE

Email Address is needed to download this file

The Hero

**Story by Betty Erickson

After a week of rain, the sun came out. Nick ran out to play. He found a puddle full of tadpoles under his swing.

Day after day, Nick watched the tadpoles. They grew legs. Their tails got shorter. Nick was afraid that the puddle would dry up before the tadpoles turned into toads. So he scooped the tadpoles into an old watering can.

Two weeks later, Nick watched a tiny toad come out of the spout. It jumped into the grass. Then two more toads came out of the spout. At last Nick counted six happy toads hopping in the grass. Nick felt like a hero. He had saved a whole puddle of toads!

Guide Questions

  1. Where did Nick put the tadpoles?
  2. How many happy toads did Nick see?
  3. Where was the puddle?
  4. For how long had it been raining?
  5. How did the first three toads get out of the watering can?
  6. Why did Nick have to save the tadpoles before the puddle dried up?
  7. Write down two differences between tadpoles and toads.

Dear Diary

Story by Mitchelle Juaban

Dear Diary, I ran into the kindest person in the world yesterday. I didn’t see him coming as I walked hurriedly into the university canteen. I bumped unto him and hit my face hard unto his chest. I felt dizzy for a while, and as I looked up to see who it was I saw his handsome face staring back at me. I blushed! He then asked me if I was alright to which I timidly answered yes. It was then I realized that he was actually holding me on both arms. Oh my gosh, I blushed some more. I didn’t know what to do! I was frozen. I just stared at him with my mouth opened for what felt like eternity. After a while, he asked if there was something wrong. “Oh. I’m so sorry. But… but I think I got your shirt stained with my lipstick” I explained hurriedly. He let go of me, and intently glanced at the lipstick stain on his shirt.

I was nervous. A lot of things were running in my mind at that time. “Will he get angry? Should I ask him to take his shirt off, so I could wash it? Oh no I should not say that. Does he think I’m crazy? Will he ever talk to me again?”

Then I heard him say, “Not a big deal. Anyway, I like the way it looks on my shirt.”

Guide Questions

  1. Where did the story happened?
  2. How was the narrator of the story and the handsome guy related?
  3. How did the narrator of the story feel about the handsome guy?
  4. What was on the handsome guy’s shirt?
  5. How did the handsome guy feel about the narrator of the story? Give your reason(s)

Download these stories

Email Address is needed to download this file

MORE HERE

LET’S GET SOCIAL

koh nang kham grand canyon

Koh Nang Kham Grand Canyon (แกรนแคนยอน เกาะนางคำ)

Type in แกรนแคนยอน เกาะนางคำ on Google Maps for direction.

Plus code: 995V+QX Ko Nang Kham, Pak Phayun District, Phatthalung

We had loads of fun!

FEATURED WRITER

Naruebate Kaekpong

Writer

English Major

Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Songkhla Thailand

Koh Nang Kham Grand Canyon (แกรนด์แคนยอนเกาะนางคำ), also known as “Bodin” or “Napa” by the locals, is located in Bankohnangtong village, Kohnangkham sub-district, Pakpayun district, Phatthalung province. The Koh Nang Kham Grand Canyon is considered a new landmark of Phatthalung. The highlight of this place is a stunning stone cliff with unusual rock formations, set in a broad and tranquil field ideal for leisure.

Back in the day, this location was known as “Khuansaotong,” and it served as a reminder to navigators that they were going to arrive at Pak Payun. This mountain is rather tall, so the navigators can see it well from the lake. In fact, if you ascend to the highest peak, you will be able to take a glimpse of Songkhla Lake, which surrounds this island. You can also see the opposite villages, Ban Rakang and Ban Tahin, both of which are in Songkhla. Later, soil, rocks, and other minerals were quarried leaving these enormous, unusually shaped rock formations as we see it in the present. This location is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Koh Nang Kham. Locals and tourists alike frequently visit this place. Some come here alone, while some come with friends, or with their families. The majority of them come to snap photos, picnic, or go on a walk.

Aside from the amazing strange stone, there is also a steep incline that challenges the local resident bikers and cyclists from other villages or provinces to come here to ride bicycles. Furthermore, during the rainy season, the marsh at this place is filled with sparkly emerald water. This, together with the colorful rocks underneath, creates a very magnificent sight. Kids around the neighborhood come here to swim with their friends. Some people come with their picnic baskets and enjoy a meal or a drink, and others come to unwind and enjoy the moment.

Koh Nang Kham Grand Canyon is one of the most remarkable sights in Phatthalung because of its unusual rock formation, and with its lush greenies around it provides a pleasant ambiance that is ideal for recharging your lungs. Having gained popularity, it is frequented by visitors time and again. Now, Koh Nang Kham sub-district municipality intends to develop it more comfortably, and the villagers believe that Koh Nang Kham Grand Canyon will serve as a landmark of their community and make other people more familiar with Koh Nang Kham in the future.

Note: If you’d like your article to be featured here, please connect with us through Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

MORE HERE

GREAT QUALITY and EASY-ON-THE-BUDGET HOTELS

LET’S CONNECT

New Hire: Human Resource Announcement

Dear Colleagues:

I am pleased to announce that Mr. Mark Smith has accepted the position of accounting consultant in the accounting department, effective 1st March 2022. This position reports to Vice-president of finance Summer Dominguez.

Mr. Smith will be overseeing the accounts of five major clients in the construction industries.

He graduated from Ramangala University in Songkhla with a degree in accounting. Prior to accepting this position, he served as a senior accountant for Liquor Brewery Limited for ten years. Mr. Smith brings experience and a proven track record of success in the accounting area, which will be invaluable in meeting the departmental goals and objectives.

I am confident that Mr. Mark Smith will be an excellent match for this position and a strong asset to the accounting department. He will be located in main building and can be reached at 0912345678 or marksmith@gmaildotcom.

Please join me in welcoming Mr. Mark Smith to Upland Groups.

Vocabulary

overseeprioracceptinvaluable
assetannouncetrack recordconstruction

GUIDE QUESTIONS

  1. What is the announcement about?
  2. Where was Mark previously affiliated?
  3. What is Mark’s work?
  4. How will you be able to contact Mark?
  5. Who will Mark be reporting to?

source: HR Forms New Hire: Human Resource Announcement

MORE HERE

Let’s Get Social

towers at Khuan Ron hills

Khuan Ron Hills (ควนหรนฮิลล์)

Khuan Ron Hills (ควนหรนฮิลล์) is located in Sathon, Na Thawee District, Songkhla. This is one of the newest places to go to for a day trip or for camping. In your map app, copy ควนหรนฮิลล์ for direction; typing the English translation is not recognized by google map as of now.

Day Trip

If you’re going there for a day trip, I strongly recommend arriving there really early in the morning. If possible before sunrise, this way, you’d be able to witness the sea of mist around the hills. Beyond this time, the mist would have dissipated as the temperature rises. Then, you’ll feast your eyes on the greeneries that surround the tower. It’s pretty scenic, though I saw a few brown patches on the hills, which I hope would be reforested as the occurrence of mist is heavily dependent on the number of trees around. The tower is quite high above the ground, and certainly not for people with acrophobia. On a lighter note though, the path is made of steel (not glass) with tiny gaps in between. So, the distance is not immediately apparent.

Camping

If you’d like to stay overnight this is certainly possible. Camping is allowed, and it has a designated place. You can park your car near the campsite. There are pitched tents to rent (450THB) or you could bring your own. If you’re uncomfortable with tents, you could rent out one of the tiniest and cutest hut straw bungalows for 500 THB (15USD) a night. It’s good for two people only. Restrooms/bathrooms are communal, and certainly not the hotel bathroom type.

Recently as of the writing of this blog, camping is discontinued. The management had closed down the camping site in favor of developing the area and building a hotel.

Important notes

  • Entrance fee 20THB per person
  • Parking fee 20THB
  • Bring proof that you’ve been vaccinated (hardcopy or digital)

MORE HERE

LET’S CONNECT

Wh Questions

WH- Questions

To be able to ask questions clearly in a conversation is very important for the following reasons. One, a person would be understood clearly thus avoiding miscommunication. Aside from this, asking questions in a conversation shows that you are interested, and it keeps the conversation going.

WH-Questions are one of the different ways of asking questions. These are questions that begin with what, where, when, why, who, which, how, how many, how often, and how much.

Example

What is happening here?

Where is the bathroom?

When does the plane arrive?

Why are there so many people here?

Who are you talking to?

Which of the these do you prefer?

How do I go to the bus station?

How many countries are there in the ASEAN?

How often do you ride your bicycle?

How much are these apples?

Let’s Practice

Instructions

  1. Pick a box and an image will pop up.
  2. Ask a WH-question about the image.

MORE HERE

LET’S CONNECT

conversation practice

3 Different Greetings and Leave Taking Dialogues

In this conversation practice, there are 3 different greetings and leave taking dialogues.

Greetings and leave taking are two essential parts of any conversation.

Instructions

  1. Go through the dialogues below, and fill in the missing conversation replies. Please vary your replies for each dialogue.
  2. You may then practice the dialogue together with the video.
  3. Dialogue presentation online.

Practice 1

A: Hi, how are you doing?
B: _______________. __________________________?
A: I’m pretty good. Thanks for asking.
B: ________________. _________________________?
A: I’ve been great. What about you?
B: ________________. _________________________.
A: What school do you go to?
B: _________________.
A: Do you like it there?
B: ____________. ________________________.
A: Good luck with school.
B: ________________.

A: Well, it was nice talking to you.
B: _____________________________.
A: We should really hang out again.
B: __________________________.
A: Where do you want to go?
B: ______________________________.
A: That sounds good.
B: _____________________________.
A: I’ll call you later.
B: ____________________________.
A: See you later.
B: ____________.

Practice 2

A: How’s it going?

B: __________________. ________________?

A: Never better, thanks.

B: _____________________________?

A: I’ve actually been pretty good. You?

B: _____________________________.

A: Which school do you attend?

B: ___________________________.

A: Are you enjoying it there?

B: ______________. _________________.

A: Good luck with that.

B: _____________.

A: I enjoyed talking to you.

B: ______________________________.

A: We should hang out some time.

B: ____________________________.

A: Is there anything you would like to do next time?

B: __________________________?

A: I’d like that.

B: ______________________.

A: I’m going to call you soon.

B: ____________________.

A: See you soon.

B: _____________.

Practice 3

A: How are you doing today?

B: ________________. ___________________?

A: I’m absolutely lovely, thank you.

B: _______________________________?

A: I haven’t been better. How about yourself?

B: _______________________.

A: Where are you going to school?

B: ______________________.

A: How do you like it so far?

B: _________________. ______________________.

A: I wish you luck.

B: _________________.

A: I had fun talking to you.

B: ________________________________.

A: I think we should really do something sometime.

B: _____________________________.

A: What do you want to do next time?

B: _________________________________________?

A: Yeah, let’s do that.

B: _________________________.

A: I’ll call you so we can set that up.

B: ___________________.

A: All right, see you.

B: ___________.

MORE HERE

CONNECT WITH US

negotiation step 2

Negotiation Step 2: Establish a Position

This is the second step in strategic negotiation, establishing a position. To review step one of the strategic negotiation process, please head on to Negotiation Step 1: Pitching an Idea.

Here, Mike is talking with colleagues Grant and Tess, and they are trying to work out an initial position before heading into the negotiation with NVP.

STUDENT TASK 1

Listen to the dialogue and fill in the missing word(s) below. Copy paste this link onto your web browser to answer the task on google forms (https://forms.gle/E25biVX6gRpiqbP69).

Grant: Alright folks. Let see what we can _________ here. Tess jump in whenever.

Tess: uh-huh…

Grant: Now I’ve seen the __________ on the emails since we kicked this into play. But Mike what’s your _________ all of this?

Mike: Well, we all agreed that NVP is our __________ in Southeast Asia huge volume, huge network, a really strong foothold in Thailand and Malaysia, which was our _________ in all of this.

Grant: Yes indeed. Good point. But I think as you’ve seen they’re really ___________ more than Southeast Asia. It’s obvious they’re pushing for a ______________, the whole of Asia really. And so the issue there is China?

Tess: We’re talking about Hangshan Motors, right. I __________________________ for something untested a burden in the hand as they say.

Mike: Well I think maybe there’s a way around this. If we buy them out, ______________________ the NVP deal in three years just from China alone. Opening up the rest of Asia on top of that puts us well ahead of the game.

Tess: I see. So you’re suggesting we get out of our existing agreement? You know… if we’re talking about a broader partnership…_________________________________. Lots of different possibilities here, I was thinking of South America in particular.

Grant: Right. So _______________________________________. We’re game for a partnership, we need Southeast Asia for sure… we’ll say we’re prepared to buy out Hangshan when they push for that and _________________________________ our South American channels later.

Tess: Yes! I think __________________________________. But we’ll have to look into our agreements with Brazil and Argentina more closely first. I __________________________ with hundred percent confidence right now.

Mike: Yeah, definitely. And when we talk with them let’s get on the same page about partnering, then… wait for Lisa to start pushing the whole Pan-Asian thing. We can play that a bit slow and see what we can squeeze out of them… and _____________________________________ until later… sound like a plan?

Grant: I think that will work. We know they want to work with us and I think we’ve got a __________________________.

STUDENT TASK 2

In the video there are three guide questions to answer. Complete this task after listening to the dialogue, and discuss your answers with your teacher.

Guide Questions

1. Why does Mike mention NVP’s huge volume, huge network, and strong foothold in SE Asia?
2. What does Mike suggest as a way around the China problem?
3. Which idea does the team agree to save for later in the negotiation?

STUDENT TASK 3

Acquaint yourself with the business vocabulary and idioms mentioned in the dialogue, and use them in sentences.

Instructions

  1. Copy paste this list on a word file
  2. Define the vocabulary and idioms
  3. Use each of them in at least two sentences
  4. Submit your answer on google classroom

For example

vocabulary/idiomsdefinitionsentences
back and forthto and froHe has been anxiously walking back and forth.
vocabulary/idiomsdefinitionsentences
best bet
take on
kick into play
jump in
keen on
give up
burden in the hand
a way around
buy out
ahead of the game
game for
way forward
on the same page
squeeze out
sit on

Here’s More

Other posts you might find interesting

LET’S CONNECT